Permutation switch-lock.



M. L. GREENSTREET & 'G. C. MOU LDER.

PERMUTATION SWITCH LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 27. l9l6.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917,

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" M/Yfred uPufi UNITED s'rArEs PATENT oEEicE.

MILERED L. GREENSTREET AND GEORGE c; metr s, or LEBANON, rssoonr, Assrenons 0F ONE-THIRD T0 ALFRED a. HQPPOCK, or LEBANON, MI-ssoUnI- PERMUTATION SWITCH-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 27, 1916. Serial No. 128,032.

the United States, residing at Lebanon, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Permutation Switch- Locks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper tains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. V

This invention relates to improvements in a locking device designed particularly for use in connection with the switch of an automobile ignition system.

The object of the invention is to provide an economical permutation locking device,

which may be installed on ignition switches of the formwidely-in use without requiring any alteration of the latter.

'The preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,.

in which Figure 1 represents a front view of the same;

Fig. 2, an enlarged vertical section substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3, an enlarged vertical section substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, an enlarged rear view with parts broken away.

Referring to the drawlngs 1n detail by the characters of reference, let it be understood that 1 represents the face or cover plate of an igmtion swltch box of a type commonly in use, which plate, with the carried parts hereinafter described, is designed to be substituted for the customary cover plate. Numeral 2 represents the rotatably movable member of the switch, which is contained within the switch box covered by the plate 1. The member 2 is provided'with notches 4 which are designed for the reception of an operating key whereby the rotative member 2 may be turned to operate the switch. The rotative member is also formed with an axial channel 5 for the purpose hereinafter described.

In front of the axis of the switch member adapted to seat within the channel 5, and the non-axially disposed bit members 10 having the diverging projections 11. The distance between the outer margins of the bit members 10, not counting the projections 11,

is slightly less than the diameter of the aperture 6, so that the key member 8 may be rotated with the bit members 10 projecting through the aperture 6. The radial extent of the projecting members 11 is greater than the diameter of the aperture 6, but is such that saidmembers may be received in the notches 7. The operating key 8 is socured to the face plate by means of a rota-j table drum member 12 in which it is slidably mounted for movement throughthe aperture, 6, and a collar member 14 which is secured to the face plate and which has a flange portion 14 overlapping the margin of the drum 7 member 12 and the projecting members 11 of the key. A spring 15 seated in the channel 5 and Coiiperating with the end of the post member .9, operates normallyto hold the key member 8 with the outer margins of the-projections 11 against the flange 14 and with the inner portions of said projections seatedin the notches 7Q In this position the. bits are out of engagement with the notches t, and the key is held against rotation by the engagement of projecting portions 11 in the notches 7. When it is desired to operate the switch by rotation of the member 2, it is necessary to press the key 8 inwardly so that the projections 11 will clear the face platel I and the bits will engage in the notches 4:. Thereupon the key may be rotated to impart the desired movement to the switch member 2, being held by engagement of members 11 under plate 1. The locking means is designed to lock the operating key out of engagement with the switch member, and likewise tohold the key against rotative movement. The lock includes in the first place, the hub' member 16, the outer extremity of which is finished with a knurled manually operable head 17 where- Patented'Feb. 27, 1917. p

by the hub 16 and parts carried therebymay tumbler disk 21 is carried by the trunnion 19 against the inner face of the cover plate 1, said tumbler 'disk having operative engagement with the trunnion member by means of notches 21 so disposed as to receive selectively the teeth 20. This arrangement permits the attachment of the tumbler disk 21 to the hub member 16 in any of a considerable variety of relative circumferential positions. Rotatably mounted upon the inner extremity of the trunnion portion 19 is a second tumbler disk 22, the same being secured to the hub member 16 for rotation rel ative thereto, by means of the screw 24 or in any other suitable fashion. The tumbler disk 22 is formed with an annular channel 25 which is closed against the inner face of the tumbler disk 21. Within this channel a pin 26 is carried by the tumbler disk 22, and a cooperating pin 27 carried by the tumbler disk 21 projects into the channel 25 in the orbit of the pin 26. The periphery of the tumbler disk 22 is suitably serrated for the engagement of a spring 28 which serves as a detent means for restraining the disk 22 against rotation. The position of the hub 16, and the diameters of the tumbler disks 21 and 22, are such that the margins of said disks will project over one of the notches 7, but will clear the perimeter of the aperture 6. The disk 21 is provided with a marginal notch 29 adapted to register with the notch 7 and the disk 22 has a mutilated portion 30 which is adapted to clear the notch 7 and which terminates on an arc concentric with the aperture 6. When the position of the disks 21 and 22 is such that the notch 29 and mutilated portion 30 stand over the notch 7 the key 8 may be pressed inwardly for operative engagement with the switch member 2. However, when any marginal portion of either the disk 21 or the disk 22 extends across the notch 7 such operation of the key 8 is prevented, for the reason that the projecting portions 11 cannot be moved to disengage them from the notches 7. It should be observed that the post member 9 operates to hold the projecting members 11 in alinement, so that both will be retained in the notches 7 when the key is in its outer position.

A suitable gage 31 is provided on the cover plate as a guide for the operator. In operation of the lock, the hub 16 is rotated until the pin 27 of the fixed tumbler disk 21 picks up the pin 26 of the floating tumbler disk 22. The operator having knowledge of the relative location of the mutilated portion 30 of the floating tumbler disk and any suitable perceptible spotting device on the hub member 16, by reference to the gage 31, he may position the disk 22 so that its mutilated p0rtion will clear the notch 7. The disk 22 havlng been moved to this position, the hub member 16 is then rotated in the opposite direction, leaving the disk 22 retained in its unlocking position by the spring 28. The reverse rotation of the hub member 16 is continued to the point, known to the operator, at which the notch 29 of the fixed tumbler disk 21 will register with the notch 7. The disks thus being in position to clear the projecting members 11, the key may be moved inwardly to engage the notches 41 for operation of the switch member 2.

As is customary in ignition switches of the sort referred to, the movement of the switch in one direction from the open position will close one circuit, and the movement of the switch in the opposite direction from the open position will close another circuit. In order to maintain the register of the projecting member 11 and the notch 29, means is rovided for rotating the disk 21 with the rotation of the key. This means includes the teeth 32 carried on the rotatable drum member 12 and adapted for operative engagement with any of a plurality of notches formed in the margin of the flange 18. As the member 12 is rotated upon rotation of the hey, this interengagement ol' the former with the flange 18 will rock the hub member 16 and the fixed disk 21., and so maintain the notch 29 in proper registering relationship with the projecting member 11. The arcuate contour of the mutilated portion 30 of the disk 22 will accommodate the movement of the projecting member 11.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that this device forms a very simple and economical lock for the purpose in tended, which, when in locked position, positively holds the key out of engagement with the movable switch portion, and also retains the key against movement and in proper position for subsequent operation. Of course, the number of tumbler disks and their operating arrangement may be varied to increase the complexity of the lock and the number of possible permutations. Any suitable form of gage and spotting indicator may be employed to permit the positioning of the tumblers by the sense of touch as well as by visual comparison.

l/Ve are aware also that other and further modifications may be made in the device without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated in the following claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotary operated member, a cover plate for inclosing the same, an operating key rotatably mounted on said cover plate and positioned for operative engage ment with the operated member whereby the latter may be rotated, locking means mounted on the cover plate and operable to prevent operative engagement of the key with the operated member, and means operably connecting the key and locking means to maintain them in definite positional relationship upon rotation of the former.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotary operated member, a plate arranged to cover the same, a key rotatably supported on the plate and movable therethrough into operative engagement with the operated member, locking means mounted on the plate and covered thereby for preventing the movement of the key into operative engagement with the operated member, means for retaining thekey against rotation when out of engagement with. the operated member, and means extending to the outer face of the plate for operating the locking means.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of an operated member, a cover plate arranged to prevent access to the same, a key member movably mounted on the face plate, said key member having bit portions movable through the face plate into operative engagement with the operated member,

'means for retaining the bit portions when out of engagement with the operated member, movable locking members mounted on the fac plate and concealed thereby and positioned to engage the key member to prevent operative movement thereof, and means for operating said locking members accessible from the outer side of the face plate.

4L. In a device of the class described, the

combination of an operated member, a face plate arranged to cover the same to prevent access thereto, a key member mounted on the face plate and operable from the exterior thereof to operably engage the operated member, means cooperating with said key member to normally hold it out of operable engagement with the operated member, means operably mounted on the face plate and concealed thereby in position for engagement with the key member to prevent movement thereof to operative position, and means extending through the face plate for operating said last mentioned means to permit the operative movement of the key member.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a movable operated member, a face plate arranged to cover said operated member and having one side thereof inclosed, a key member operably mounted on the face plate and having bit portions movable therethrough into operative engagement with the operated member, retaining portions carried by said face plate for engagement with the key member to prevent rotation thereof, means cooperating with said key member to hold the same normally in cooperation with said retaining portions, locking means covered by the face operated member, means cooperating withthe key member to hold it normally out of cooperation with the operated member, said key and said face plate having cooperating portions designed to retain the key member in cooperation with the operated member upon their rotation, and means for locking th key member out of operative engagement with the operated member.

7.. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a rotary operated member, a face plate covering the same, a key member operable through the face plate for operating the operated member, a locking member covered by the face plate and having a portion for holding the key member out of operative engagement with the operated member, said locking member hav ing a portion arranged for association with the key member to permit operative engagement thereof with the operated member, means operable from the outer side of the face plate for positioning the locking menr.

ber, and means operably connecting the key and the locking member whereby the two are maintained in definite relationship upon rotation of the key.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses, this 18th day of October, 1916.

MILFRED L. GREENSTREET. GEORGE C. MOULDER.

- lVitnesses:

ARTHUR W. SCHNEIDER, H. V. WALLIGK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. I 

